Improvement in valve-gears



H. 1. BEHRENS.

Valve-Gear.

N0i 168,215, Patented Sept.28,l875.

Jaya

NVFETERS, PHDTO-LITMOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON, D. C.

"j l YTED STATES HENRY J. Rennens, lon New YORK, n. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN VALVE-GEARS.

I Specification forming partof Letters PatentNo. 168,215, dated September 28, 1875 application filed V v June 16,1875.

lTo all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY J. BEHRENS, of Tremont, New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve-Motions for `Direct-Actin g Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being y had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

This invention consists in a valve-motion for direct-acting en gines, in which the valve is quickly reversed,A at the close of the engines piston-stroke in either direction, by means of an independent plunger worked inward by a trip-motion against the pressure of the propelling gas or fluid duringthe.engine-pistons stroke, and suddenly released at the close of said stroke, to throw or reverse the valve by the pressure of the gas or fluid operating on the plunger to return or force it outward again. This mode of action dispenses with an auxiliary valve to control the act/ion of the main valve, wastes no steam or propelling uid to effect the operation of the valve, and admits of an ordinary slide-valve being used. The invention also consists in mechanism of a peculiar construction for operating the plunger which controls the motion-of the valve, either directly or indirectly from-the piston-rod of the engine, and for releasing said plunger to 'throw the valve, whereby great simplicity and efficiency of action are obtained, and facility is afforded for working by hand, when required, the pump or other device driven by the y engine.

chest of the engine,L and E its valve, which latter may be an ordinary D slide-valve, and the ports or passagesab c, controlled by it, be

the'same as Vare commonly used in connection with such a valve. F is the independent plungerby which the valve is thrown. This plunger n is arranged to work ina cylinder, G', as against and by, successively, the pressure of. the steam or other propelling fluid on its back, and which may be supplied by an inlet, d, andthe valvechest D be supplied by a branch opening, s', from the cylinder Gr. This plunger is consequently what may be termed a resistanceplunger, fand is operated `throughor by trip mechanism, either directly from the piston-rod of the engine, or indirectly by any other reciprocating device actuated by said piston or its rod, and which mechanism likewiseserves, when the resistance-plunger is liberated, to throw or reverse the valve. Thus, H is a lever having its fulcrum on a cross rock-shaft, I, and connected at its lower end with the piston-rod O, whereby it is oscillated by the reciprocating action of the piston-rod. This lever passes, preferably, in a free manner-that is, with a certain amount of lost motionthrough a slotted disk, J, fast on the rockshaft I, so that said lever, after the piston B has fairly started or moved a certain distance, is made to oscillate the disk J and its rockshaft I. This movement of the rock-shaft I causes a crank, K, which is fast on the latter,

-to force inward, against the pressure of the ,steam in the cylinder G, the plunger F, by or through a rod, L, connecting said crank with theplunger. By the time the crank K reaches its dead-center, or has its wrist-pin in line with the longitudinal center of the plunger F, the engine-piston has nearly'completed its stroke in either direction, and the disk J is brought into working or driving contact with a second disk, M, or its equivalent, which is loose on the rock-shaft I, and is connected with tho valve-stem by a link-rod, f. After this, and as the disk J continues to move in the same direction and the engine-piston completes its stroke, the crank K, in being moved over its culminatingpoint or dead-center, is suddenly shot by the plunger F, in its outward throw, through the pressure of the steam on its back, and the disk J made to drive or rapidly turn the disk M, and so reverse the position of the valve to change the direction in travel of the engine-piston. The same action takes place during both strokes of the engine, the crank K crossng its dead-center in opposite directions, and the disk J not operating the'valveactuating disk M till said crank is on its dead' center, there being lost motion prior to that between said disks-as, for instance, by a stud, g, on the disk J passing through a slot, h, in the disk M, and only moving the latter'when coming in contact with either end ofthe slot; or such lost motion may be otherwise produced, and the trip mechanism generally be variously modified or constructed, so long as the resistance-plunger is actuated by the engine-piston, and, when released, throws the valve by the pressure of the gas or fluid on the back of the said plunger, substantially as described. Thus, the lost motion might be restricted to the lever H, and an eccentric or cam might be substituted for the crank K; or instead of the lever H, a toothed sector, Working into or driven by a rack, might be used. Furthermore, the plunger F may have a collar, t', upon it, to prevent the valve from being thrown too far, or any other suitable stop may be used.

- The lever H is represented as extended upwardly through the disk J, whereby it forms a handle for operating by hand, when required, the pump or other device driven by the eugine. For this purpose said extended portion of said lever is constructed to provide for the ready attachment, at pleasure, of an extension lever or handle.

I claimi 1. The combination, with the steam cylinder and piston in communication with the valvechest, of an independent plunger, exposed on one side to the pressure of the propelling fluid from the valve-chest, and actuated by the engine-piston against said pressure, but released or tripped at the end of the pistons stroke to reverse the valve, substantially as described, and for the object herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the engine-piston B, its valve'E, and the resistance-plunger F, of the following devices, constituting a trip mechanism having lost motionf-namely, the lever H, the rock-shaft I, the crank K, and the disks J M, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

- l HENRY J. BEHRENS.

- Witnesses:

' BENJAMIN W. HOFFMAN,

VERNON H. HARRIS. 

